London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Mar 14, 2026

Brownies to learn coding to get more girls into science

Brownies to learn coding to get more girls into science

Brownies are to start learning to code while younger girls in Rainbows will explore app design in a bid to inspire more of them to take up STEM subjects.

Just over half (52%) of girls aged 11 to 21 think STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects are for boys, a Girlguiding survey has shown.

Now new digital skills activities are being rolled out to the charity's national programme for ages five to 18.

Ten-year-old Brownie Peyton said she loved learning to code.

"It was so much fun. Fixing bugs was hard, but once I tried it a few times, I could do it", she said.

Peyton said once she had a few goes, she could do it


Rainbows, the organisation's branch for four to seven-year olds, will be taught about app design through an app based on rescuing unicorns.

Older girls in Brownies, who are up to 10, will be writing code for a robot - in the sessions available to almost 400,000 girls.

In the organisation's attitudes survey, 42% of girls said they did not feel there were enough women role models in STEM sectors.

However the survey of about 2,000 girls and young women did show younger girls were less likely to think STEM subjects were for boys - with only 13% of girls aged seven to 10 agreeing.

Maddie Wray-Reynolds says the sessions "are just so fun"


Maddie Wray-Reynolds, who runs Brownie and Guides units, said the statistics were "quite worrying when girls have so much to offer",

She recalled one session during which an eight-year-old told her she couldn't be a doctor because she was a girl. "It's really upsetting," she said.

The programme would "show girls who aren't given the opportunity in other parts of life that they can do it here", said the 23-year-old from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire.

"The activities are just so fun…everyone has heard of Google, even the five-year-olds," she told the BBC.

The "build a phone" sessions for Rangers, aged 14 to 18, will explore ideas about phone designing


Girlguiding said the activities were aimed at encouraging more girls and young women to pursue interests in technology and engineering - and tackle gender stereotypes.

For older girls, in the Guides and the Rangers, there are sessions on chatbots and phone design, which have been designed in partnership with Google.

Girlguiding initially partnered with the tech giant in 2018 to launch digital adventure badges for Brownies and digital design badges for Rangers. More than 15,000 girls took part.

Now there will be a digital design Google badge for all age groups, from Rainbows to Rangers.

The activities can be completed offline to ensure they are accessible to all

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Middle East War Highlights Strategic Importance of Strong UK–Ireland Cooperation
Weak Growth Signals UK Economy Was Faltering Even Before Middle East Energy Shock
Marks & Spencer Tops UK Fashion Retail Rankings as Most Considered Brand
United States Launches Trade Investigation Into Allies Over Forced Labour Practices
United States Launches Trade Investigation Into Allies Over Forced Labour Practices
Russia Accuses Britain Over Storm Shadow Strike as London Reaffirms Ukraine’s Right to Self-Defence
Russia Accuses Britain Over Storm Shadow Strike as London Reaffirms Ukraine’s Right to Self-Defence
Royal Navy to Acquire Twenty Uncrewed Surface Vessels for Autonomous Warfare Testing
Russia Summons British and French Envoys After Ukrainian Storm Shadow Strike on Strategic Facility
Starmer Confirms Britain Will Maintain Sanctions on Russia Despite U.S. Policy Shift
UK Moves to Refine AI Definition in Investment Security Reform
UK Economy Stalls in January as Growth Unexpectedly Falls to Zero
Asian Energy Security Tested as Strait of Hormuz Disruption Threatens Oil Supplies
Iran Sets Three Conditions for Ending Regional War as Diplomatic Efforts Intensify
Tesla Secures Approval to Supply Electricity Directly to Homes Across Britain
Prince William Delivers Tribute to Australia’s Naval Alliance Amid Renewed Royal Spotlight on the Country
UK Foreign Secretary Travels to Saudi Arabia to Reinforce Support for Regional Allies
Putin’s ‘Hidden Hand’ May Be Assisting Iran in Conflict With Trump, UK Defence Secretary Warns
UK Sets April Deadline for Tech Platforms to Strengthen Online Protections for Children
Elon Musk Moves Into Britain’s Energy Market as Tesla Wins Licence to Supply Power
UK Watchdog Warns Fuel Retailers Against Profiteering Amid Iran War Price Surge
Report Claims Iran Used UK Charity Network to Expand Influence
United States and United Kingdom Establish Joint Standards for Counter-Drone Technology
Iran May Be Laying Naval Mines in Strait of Hormuz, UK Warns Amid Escalating Gulf Tensions
US Deploys Bunker-Buster Bombs to UK Airbase as Iran Conflict Intensifies
British Troops in Iraq Intercept Iranian Drones Targeting Coalition Base
Release of Mandelson Files Raises Tensions as UK Seeks Stable Relations With Donald Trump
UK Documents Reveal Starmer Was Warned About Mandelson’s Epstein Links Before Ambassador Appointment
Nearly Five Hundred UK Mortgage Deals Withdrawn in Two Days as Market Volatility Forces Lenders to Reprice
Three Cargo Ships Hit Near Iran as Attacks Spread to Strategic Strait of Hormuz
Why British Police Repeatedly Declined to Investigate Jeffrey Epstein’s UK Links
UK Parliament Ends Hereditary Seats in House of Lords, Closing Chapter on Centuries of Aristocratic Lawmaking
EU and UK Urge Israel to Act Against Rising West Bank Settler Violence Amid Regional Tensions
US Senator John Kennedy Says Keir Starmer Should Not Be Trusted for Military Advice Amid Iran War Debate
UK High Court Rejects Attempt to Revive Terrorism Charge Against Kneecap Rapper
Revolut Secures Full UK Banking Licence After Multi-Year Regulatory Wait
Kentucky’s Bench Boost Powers Wildcats Past LSU in SEC Tournament Opener
British Couple Die After Being Pulled From Water at Australian Beach During Family Visit
Global Energy Agency Announces Record Release of 400 Million Barrels to Stabilize Oil Markets Amid Hormuz Disruption
British Airways Suspends UK Repatriation Flights as Middle East Travel Disruption Deepens
US Forces Prepare Ordnance at RAF Fairford as Strategic Bombers Deploy for Middle East Operations
Nigel Farage Faces Criticism After Saying Britain Should Stay Out of Iran War
Landmark UK Trial Begins Over Sony’s PlayStation Store Pricing
UK High Court Rejects Bid to Challenge Britain’s Chagos Islands Agreement With Mauritius
Finnish Duo Triumphs in England’s Annual Wife-Carrying Race, Winning a Barrel of Ale
How U.S. and UK National Security Strategies Are Reshaping the Global Business Landscape
Green Party Gains Momentum as Labour Shifts Toward the Political Centre
Royal Navy Destroyer HMS Dragon Sets Sail for Eastern Mediterranean as Regional Tensions Rise
UK Homebuilder Persimmon Warns Iran Conflict Could Dent Property Buyer Confidence
Roman Abramovich Signals Legal Fight if UK Seeks to Seize Chelsea Sale Funds
×